Download... December 4, 2011. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: ROMANS 13:11-14
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Do you know what time it is? God’s children walk in a spiritual day, and not in spiritual darkness. It is because the saints realize, “what” time it is. They know to be “awake” in righteousness! Are you awake this morning unto righteousness?
The world has been, for the most part, ...spiritually asleep. At times, to the natural man, saved or not, He “appears” to be leading, …and other times to be silent. Revelation 8:1 1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. When God doesn’t “speak”, especially ‘when’ it is to be expected, it is a bad thing. We live in a “time” that God’s “voice” is declining. Where once we could hear God’s voice clearly, His voice is diminishing. It is because of the way, that the world is “waxing worse and worse, ”silencing their ears to Him. We of course are speaking of God speaking from an earthly place, where we would "expect to hear” Him. We need to make sure we are ready and not asleep as the world is. There are times when God’s voice can be heard in a greater way, when souls then can be saved. Other times there seems to be “gross darkness,” or a time of silence and mystery.
God has said there needs to be laborers, in His harvest. So it is that we need to be awake to righteousness, so we can clearly know the “times” that we live, and not be asleep (as the world is) and awake to the need to work for the kingdom. Has this happened before? Well, we can look to even in the old testament times, when God’s voice was heard in a clear way, and then in other times during gross darkness, when they could not hear God. Of course we speak on a spiritual basis. But as long as we have breath, that God can still use in His people, we need to let the world know of our testimony, of our lives being delivered out of sin.
In this modern era, (for some time), we have been in a long spiritual decline. Yet, God can still get through, to some, to wake up, if they will only heed! Not to just the unsaved (to wake up), but also any of His children that might have spiritually gone to sleep. The message is for the church this morning! Yes, the unsaved need to also listen, to be saved, in this time of gross darkness. You might say, “God has woken me up.” Well, if you’re awake this morning, you have been delivered out of sin (not still in sin.) It is too difficult though, to hear God, if you are asleep! You may have the right desires, yet still need to heed His voice to awaken to all His righteousness.
In a biblical illustration, Jesus made clay (from spittle mixed with the ground) to apply to a blind man’s eyes. Mark 8:22-25 22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. This man first opened his eyes, and saw, somewhat blurry,…he began to see, yet not clearly. Then Christ touched him again, so that he could see clearly. Christ will today still bring us fully awake, to see clearly, if we heed Him. For we are blind spiritually, when we are not awake spiritually.
If we are going to be effective like God wants, we need to be fully awake! Again, Romans 13: 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. God gave us exhortation to awake, even 2000 years ago. Even more so now! Then, as today, is high time to awake! We are living in a biblical spiritually high time. Will the Lord continue to let the world, “last?” That is ‘God’s’ business! Our business is to awake and be ready. The moment has arrived, for all not yet are awake to righteousness.
You “might” say, “I’ve been raised in the Church, but just "strayed." Well, ..all that are asleep to righteousness, are not “just straying,” they are in gross darkness! Your eyes might be awake, but you are spiritually asleep. God doesn’t want us to just “pick up” religion, but awake to righteousness. You might ask, are you ‘The One’ with ‘The’ spiritual awareness? Let us not “play games,” debate it, indulge in scholarly discussions, etc. Let’s not part brothers.
We need to awake only to God’s righteousness, for it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now, is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. The judgment is at hand.” Time is declining. Each mortal life, is as with “book ends,” to their existence. Our lives are advancing to God’s eternal deliverance, if we are awake and ready. Our salvation is nearer than we first “began.” You are approaching “your bookend.”
Naturally, when you sleep, you need to have an “alarm” to make sure you wake up. Have you ever set your alarm in error, to not wake up correctly? Maybe missed your plane, etc.? Bro Goble said “been there, done that!” So it is also in our temporal life, we need to hear God’s “alarm” to be ready! Naturally,..how do you feel, when you awake later, at the wrong hour, missing your appointment, reservation, etc.? Awful. You missed “it.” Spiritually, you might miss your appointment at God’s return. “Some” might awake “partially, ..you have a chance, to still wake up all the way. You can’t put it off (hit the snooze button). They often say, “It is too uncomfortable, ..good enough!” It is Not good enough!” God wants us to be awake, the ‘whole’ way.
How comfortable are you, when driving a car? It’s not comfortable when you drive in a sleepy condition. It is God’s mercy when He wakes you up. Bro Goble told of trips to Fresno at night while he was sleepy. He has also been the passenger in a car, when the driver was sleepy. Scary! We need to worship where the word of God is brought in it’s wide awake intention, even though it might be uncomfortable for our flesh. We need to ask the Holy Ghost to be in the driver seat. We don’t need to make the excuse, “good enough!”
Again, Romans 13: 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Some might work on a swing or grave shift, but generally the night time is for sleeping. Sin is a condition of spiritual night. People are spiritually asleep when they are in sin. No need to be asleep…the Son has risen! The Son is the essence of spiritual day. During the time of light, that God gives us, there is no need to be spiritually asleep. Don’t hit the “alarm” again. You must get out of "bed."
Romans 8:5-8 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. People “often” think I have to live in “the flesh” which is a carnal way to be in. God wants us to wake people up, so they can walk in the spirit. Awaking ..is a change from sin, ..to live in Christ’s righteousness. We are not crazy mentally, not brainwashed, but heart washed! When I am awake, my “senses” are fully awake, they are completely reasonable and rationale. With spiritual sensory, being awake, we will be able to “see” of the things of God. If you do not seem to have spiritual sensory, you are not fully and spiritually awake. Being awake to righteousness, is not being brainwashed. Your intellect spiritually, works better when your awake, so that you will have a spiritual impact on others.
How many people get paid, while they are asleep? Some might work as a sleeping experiment, etc., but most must be fully awake. Spiritually we must be fully wake, to live in God’s grace.
Having too many different problems to solve? Are you asleep? God is a problem solver. If your “asleep,” you have trouble helping others. You might annoy them more when you are “snoring.” It is very difficult to help a sinner, if you are asleep spiritually. The only hope you can give your children, is if you are spiritually awake. It is when you are spiritually awake that you can work for God. It is also obviously hard to be motivated when you’re asleep.
God wants us to be fully awake to righteousness. God’s church needs to be fully awake, every one! The church consists of all the members in particular. How’s your “love” for God, when your are asleep? Can you really love, when you are asleep? Love is a choice to give to someone else, what they desire. Can you really give love while you are asleep? The day is far gone. When your asleep, you have nothing to offer souls in need of direction. When I am awake to righteousness, I am not then deceived, I’m spiritually awake! Are you deceived naturally, when you awake to meet your daily responsibilities? Of course not.
The world “deems” spiritual living as being “crazy,” or unreasonable. When you're asleep, you “deem” all spiritual senses to be unreasonable. But righteousness is not unreasonable. If you’re going to wake up, you have to cast off the dark works of sin, and live honestly. People predominately want to live in carousing (adultery), partying, drinking, bitterness, all spiritually of the night. Cast off the works of darkness, to put on the armor of light. Cast off some things, and put on some things. You must be dressed properly spiritually. You must take off darkness, and put on the light of righteousness.
John 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? We can know God’s wisdom of righteousness. Even a “master” though, can be “sleepy.” Wake up! “Walk” in honesty, (decently), in God’s full light. Darkness brings many things, deception, greed, wantonness (sexual immorality), etc. Let go of some things, when the Lord shows you to “let go.” It is spiritually vital! One that is “asleep” will not be able to have an impact on souls. Either you want the spiritual pillow, or you awake to the working for souls.
Matthew 11: 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Speaking in bitterness (the yoke of the flesh) will put you to sleep quicker than anything else. There is no excuse for bitterness: which is having an attitude or motive to be bitter. If you allow any sleepiness spiritually, you will become more fully asleep.
Determined accountability, is taking constructive “moves” to hold a soul accountable (not excusing them). That’s not bitterness if the motive is to help them to be aware of their condition. If ‘we’ are the one that offended, we need to awaken to our responsibility, seeing the help they offer. But if the motive is only to “punish me,” that is bitterness. Put on Jesus Christ, not making provision for the flesh. Again, Romans 13: 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Awake to righteousness. God is at hand. How is it with you? God does what He does, not to punish, but to deliver and awaken us to righteousness!
